Sill cover for window devices



Jan. 17, 1956 M. ABELSON 2,731,117

SILL COVER FOR wmoow DEVICES Filed Jan. 19, 1955 Fie. 4.

INVENTOR. MAURICE ABELSON,

47'7URNE Y United States Patent SILL COVER FOR WINDOW DEVICES Maurice Abelson, Miami, Fla. Application January 19, 1955, Serial No. 482,762

4 Claims. (Cl. 189-75) This invention relates to an improvement in window structures and particularly to that type of window wherein the jamb members, the'header member and the sill member are formed of extruded aluminum. The particular window herein illustrated is of the type commonly recognized as an awning window, although it will be apparent that the invention is not restricted to such a window.

In conventional window constructions of the type above indicated, it has been common to extrude a sillmember having its outer side formed open and with the conventional operating mechanism employed to shift the window closures disposed within the open sill and usually extending for the full length of the sill, thus exposing the operating mechanism to the weather. The open sill is further objectionable in that it collects dirt that is dilficult to remove and that greatly detracts from the ornamental appearance of the sill. Under normal construction methods, the operating mechanism is substantially hidden from view from the interior of the building, yet is fully exposed to the outside.

It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a novel cover device for the sill that is easily and quickly snapped into engagement with the sill extrusion in a manner to be self-aligning and to form in effect a continuation of the outer wall areas of the sill. The sill cover further embodies novel engaging features with the .sill that .assures of its accurate engagement therewith. The sill cover is further cut away in a manner to permit the free and unobstructed operation of the window mechalllSl'l'l.

Novel features of construction and operation will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of a window device showing the sill cover applied thereto,

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the sill cover removed prior to its installation upon the window,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 1 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates the conventional extruded aluminum jambs of the window and 6 the connecting extruded aluminum sill member. The sill and the jambs are permanently and rigidly connected in any suitable manner. The sill member 6 is of generally channel formation embodying inner and outer parallel wall sections 7 and 8, a connecting and integral bottom wall section 9 and an integral upper and relatively narrow wall section 10. The wall section it) is parallel with the bottom 9 and its underside,

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13 carrying adjacent its opposite ends crank arms 14 that have their outer ends pivotally connected at 15 with operating links 16, through the medium of which the window panels 17 are actuated in a conventional and well known manner.

Since the present invention is primarily adapted to form an overlying cover for the forward opening of the sill 6 and to permit the unobstructed operation of the crank arms 14 and their associated mechanism, there has been provided a preferably integral extruded aluminum sill cover, indicated as a whole by the numeral 18. The sill cover 18 is preferably formed of a thickness corresponding to the sill extrusion, such thickness permitting a suitable flexibility to facilitate the installation thereof. The sill cover 18 embodies a forward perpendicular wall 19, and inwardly and upwardly inclined wall 20 that terminates in a fiat web portion 21. Outwardly of the Web portion '21, the incline wall is provided with an integral perpendicular rib 22 for the full length of the device. The forward face of the rib 22 is provided with a dove-tail groove 23 for the reception of a suitable .compressible packing strip 24, against which the frame of the window 17 will have an abutting and weathering engagement when the window is in a fully closed position. The wall portion 19 at its lower marginal edge is slotted at 25, providing inner and outer tongues 26 and 27. The tongues 26 and 27 and the slot 25 are adapted at installation to have snapping engagement over the lip 12 for the full length of the sill and with the tongue 27 being substantially flush'with the outer face of the wall portion 8 and with the wall portions 8 and 19 being disposed in perpendicular alignment. The tongue 26, see particularly Figures 3 and 4, is formed relatively shorter than the tongue 27 to facilitate its snapping engagement over the lip 12. The wall portion 2i inwardly of the rib 22 is extruded in a manner to form a beveled rib 28 that has snapping engagement within the groove 11 at assembly of the device with the sill 6. The rib 22 at assembly is disposed in abutting engagement with a corresponding rib 29 formed upon the opposite jamb members 5 whereby a corresponding Weatherstrip 24 is disposed in a vertical manner for engagement with the end portions of the window frame 17. The sill 18 adjacent its opposite ends is transversely slotted at 30 for engagement over the crank devices 14 to permit a free and unobstructed operation of the cranks during the swinging movement of the window 17. The rib 22 has been additionally notched at 31 for clearance of the operating linkage of the window.

In the use of the device after the window has been completely assembled, a sill cover 18 is selected as having a length to snugly engage throughout the length of the sill, it being understood that the sill covers are manufactured in standard lengths for the recognized standard widths of windows. The operator then engages the web portion 21 beneath the wall portion 1%? and with the rib 28 aligned with the groove 11. In this position, the tongue 26 will lie against the outer face of lip 12. Then, by a combined upward and inward pressure upon the wall 19, the tongue 26 will over-ride the lip 12 and upon passing over the lip 12 the device will spring downwardly, causing an interlocking engagement of the lip 12 within the groove 25. Simultaneously the web 21 will bear against the underside of the wall portions 10 and with the rib 28 fully seated within the groove 11. In the fully installed position, the cranks 14 will extend through the slots 30 to operate in their usual and well known manner. It will thus be seen that the opening of the sill 6 is protected for its major length against the entry of dirt and other foreign matter that greatly detracts from the appearance of the window and that would eventually interfere with the freedom of operation of the mechanism. The cover 13 may be removed if necessary by inserting a suitable sharp tool beneath the marginal edge of the tongue 27, flexing the device upwardly for dis engaging the tongue 26, after which the cover may be easily removed for access to the rock-shaft 13, should this become necessary.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel and desirable protective cover has been provided for the usual open channeled window sills. The device provides a protective cover that greatly enhances the ornamental appearance of the window and avoids the collection of dirt and other objectionable matter within the usually open sill. In actual appearance, the device is a continuation of the walls 8 and 10 and also forms a convenient mounting for the Weatherstrip 24. It will also be apparent that the device is quickly and easily installed without the use of screws or other fastening devices and will be rigidly held in position against accidental displacement.

it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as determined by the scope of the subjoined claim-s.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a metallic window frame embodying parallel jamb members and a connecting sill member and with the sill member being open upon its forward side, a sill cover adapted to overlie and cover the open side of the sill, means whereby the sill cover has snapping engagement with the sill member whereby a forward wall of the sill cover is substantially flush with an outer wall of the sill member, the said sill cover being co-extensive in length with the sill member, the said sill cover adjacent each end being slotted for the passage of window operating cranks supported within the sill member, the sill cover being provided with an upstanding rib for its full length and with the rib being provided upon its outer side with a groove for the reception of a weather strip whereby the weather strip will be disposed in the path of swinging movement of a window panel for providing a Weathering engagement between the sill cover and the window panel when in the closed position.

2. In combination with a window frame of extruded metal, including parallel jamb members and a connecting sill member, and with the sill member being hollow and provided with inner and outer parallel walls and upper and lower parallel walls all integrally formed, the sill member being formed open upon its forward side for its full length, an extruded metal sill cover adapted to overlie the open side of the sill member, the sill cover embodying an outer vertical wall and an inwardly and upwardly inclined sill forming wall, and with the incline sill forming wall terminating in a flat horizontally dis posed portion that underlies the upper Wall of the sill member, an upstanding rib formed upon the sill forming wall and with the forward side of the rib provided with a dove-tail groove for supporting a Weatherstrip and interlocking means between the sill cover and the upper and outer walls of the sill member, the sill cover adjacent its opposite ends being slotted for the swinging move ment of crank members embodied in window operating mechanisms, the cranks being fixed upon a rock shaft that extends longitudinally of the sill member, the sill cover, when in interlocking engagement with the upper and outer walls of the sill member, disposing the outer wall of the sill cover in flush parallel engagement with the outer wall of the sill member throughout its length, and with the rib in abutting engagement with the marginal edge of the upper wall of the sill member.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the upper wall of the sill member adjacent its forward marginal edge is undercut for its full length, and wherein the sill cover is provided with a longitudinally extending beveled rib that has snapping engagement within the undercut, the forward wall of the sill cover along its lower marginal edge and for its full length being inwardly grooved for snapping engagement upon an inwardly olfset tongue formed upon the upper marginal edge of the outer Wall of the sill member, whereby the outer wall of the sill cover is fixedly supported in flush engagement with the outer surface of the forward wall of the sill member, the sill cover being integrally formed of extruded metal having certain flexibility that permits the snapping engagement with the groove of the upper wall and the tongue of the outer wall of the sill member.

4. The structure, according to claim 3, wherein the groove of the upper wall of the sill member and the beveled rib of the sill cover are identical in shape and wherein the forming of the groove along the marginal edge of the forward wall of the sill cover provides a pair of parallel and spaced apart inner and outer tongues that engage upon opposite sides of the tongue formed upon the outer wall of the sill member and with the inner tongue of the sill cover being formed relatively shorter than its adjacent outer tongue whereby to permit the snapping engagement over the tongue formed upon the outer wall of the sill member with a minimum flexing of the sill cover, the upstanding Weatherstrip supporting rib having its opposite ends in alignment with weatherstrip supporting ribs formed upon the jamb members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,608,672 Rappaport Nov. 30, 1926 2,478,044 Gargiulo Aug. 2, 1949 2,551,017 Krantz May 1, 1951 

